The arrival into the land that God had promised them (constituting modern day Israel and beyond) could not be a haphazard, disorganized event. They had to cross the River Jordan that was in flood stage and then the goal was to defeat the people living in the cities so that it could truly become their nation. This was not to be any nation. It was God’s people, in God’s place, to live for God’s purposes.

The River Jordan was parted by God

It was appropriate that God’s people should be led by God and this is why the priests, carrying the ark of the covenant, where God was present, (see my blog about the Ark of the Covenant) went ahead of the Israelites. The people were told to keep a distance of about a thousand yards from the ark and were warned not to go near it. The power of God is tremendous. Trifling with Him was and is dangerous. Joshua encouraged the people that the parting of the river would show “that the living God is among you” (Joshua 3:10) and that He would drive out all the people groups currently living in the land that God had promised to them.

What does consecrate mean?

It was essential that the Israelites should be led by God but it was also essential that His people should be clean and pure. Joshua told them before their departure,”Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.” This involved a purification ceremony, which in essence showed them the importance of approaching God with a pure heart.

A covenant is a two way agreement or promise. God always keeps His promises but we need to be constantly reminded of the response He requires of us. To consecrate themselves to God, His people, the Israelites had to be cleansed, through an outward display of ritual washing. Also offering sacrifices was usually part of this cleansing process. The most significant sacrifice involved the shedding of the blood of an animal, reminding them that without the shedding of blood there could be no forgiveness of sins.

God’s people had to be holy, to be set apart, forgiven and pure. The Israelites, who after years of wandering in the desert, learning to obey God, were finally ready to enter God’s land. They had consecrated themselves to God and they were to follow the ark which was filled with God’s presence, and He led them. There was no question of them running ahead of God. They had to follow His instructions relayed by Joshua, and contained in the ark of the covenant. When they were unclean or messed up they had to consecrate themselves.

It was God who parted the river and led his people

Joshua and his followers were living before Jesus arrived on the scene and much of our religious practices as Christians have changed as a result of Christ’s ultimate and final sacrifice. He has liberated the believer from the power of sin once and for all. However, the important principles have not changed: God is in charge and we must follow Him obediently. The ark (with God present) led the people, showing them the way to go. At the river, the priests carrying the ark on poles had to touch the water’s edge with their feet, before God performed a miracle, then, “the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away….while the water flowing down to the Sea of Arabah (the Salt Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho.” (Joshua 3:16) The priests stood on dry land in the center of the river, holding the ark of the covenant until everyone had crossed.

Christians are Highly Regarded by Jesus: We are a “holy nation” and “a royal priesthood”

The priests had to move forward in faith, trusting in God for His words to be fulfilled. Similarly we are expected to have faith, despite what things look liked. The swirling, deep water was threatening, like so much that we face today, but we must trust that God is in control, keeping His promises. Since Christ came, the opportunities He offers to His followers are tremendous: We are compared to priests and we are called to be holy : we must also be consecrated and cleaned up through forgiveness. 1 Peter chapter 2 tells us that if we are God’s children, chosen by Him, we “like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”(verse 5) Like the priests at the time of Joshua, we must demonstrate faith and we can draw close to Jesus offering our lives to Him as a sacrifice. Peter continues a few verses later reminding us of the incredible status of being a Christian, given to us by Jesus, not through our own merit: “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.”(verse 9) If you are a Christian do you realize how highly Jesus regards you?

Like the Israelites we must consecrate ourselves to God. We too are his people

God led the Israelites through the river. He dramatically parted the water, ensuring that they could walk through on dry land. God is the one who calls us. He is king, Lord, boss….We are to give Him praise, declaring all that He has done, sharing the good news. We don’t know who will respond to Him but He does. We are expected to be consecrated: cleansed through repentance, forgiveness, living a Holy life, changed by Jesus. At the time of Joshua only the tribe of Levi could be priests: the Levites. We, in contrast, do not have to be from a special family or tribe. We simply have to follow Jesus, who is God: following Him, in faith and obedience, like the Israelites following the ark.

Are we inclined to think that we are not good enough for Jesus? Of course we are not good enough, but He will forgive us and change us. Do we assume that God will only choose those with clean and respectable clothes and white teeth and a good job. My blog post about Rahab the prostitute shows that this is not true. 1 Peter 2:9 reminds us that we were called by God out of darkness into His wonderful light. I might have had clean clothes in my dark life before I became a child of God but I was selfish and proud. Rahab the prostitute probably dressed as a harlot but she recognized the mighty acts of God and she faithfully followed Him and God changed her. Might there be beautiful, clean, charming people who visit churches, but who have not yet trusted God and are still in darkness? I think so.

Please be encouraged that God is God and He does the leading and the calling. We are relatively small and weak, whatever our income or appearance, and we are called to believe, to follow and to obey. We are invited to leave behind a life of sin and darkness to live as children of God leading good, unselfish lives, dedicated to pleasing our Lord: Jesus.

This is a post from: WomenRespond.com

God’s People arrive in the Promised Land

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My husband, Martyn is writing a book about search engine marketing. Most of the terminology is less than fifteen years old but much of it still needs careful explanation for those of us who are not technically savvy. It is not surprising that twenty first century Bible readers come across words and concepts that are difficult to understand because they are concepts that applied to specific religious practices hundreds of years ago. One of those phrases that used to confuse me is the “ark of the covenant”. As I am studying the book of Joshua (see blogs: Joshua Man of Faith and Rahab: from prostitute to woman of faith) I thought that it might be helpful for me and for others to consider what this ark was and how it can help us better understand God . When I Googled “ark of the covenant” I was confronted with the lost ark, “Raiders of the Lost Ark” etc. What was once a hugely important part of the Israelites’ worship has become a story. It is important that we understand that Biblical truth is much more significant than fiction. Please join me in discovering a little about this “ark” so that our faith in God can more easily develop into a deep reality.

God’s dwelling place

The ark of the covenant was a beautifully crafted chest made of acacia wood, overlaid with pure gold inside and out. Its contents included the stone tablets on which the ten commandments were written. It was built at the time of Moses and God gave specific instructions about its appearance and contents, as it was of great significance. Above the ark was the atonement cover which was the lid for the ark. On top were two angels facing one another and this was God’s dwelling place. This was a holy place and it was a symbol of God’s presence and power wherever God’s people, the Israelites went. At the time of Joshua the ark of the covenant was usually housed in the tabernacle which was like a portable temple, but when the Israelites were on the move it was carried separately on poles. When inside the tabernacle, the ark was in the most holy place where only the high priest could enter to sprinkle blood on the atonement cover of the ark of the covenant once a year.

The ark of the covenant represented God’s presence and power

The ark was not something to be treated lightly. It was transportable but had to be carried with great care, surrounded by animal skins and covered in blue cloth, and attached to poles. A number of miracles were witnessed in the Old Testament surrounding the ark. If it was treated with irreverence there were negative consequences.

Isaiah 37: 16 reminds us of the importance of God’s presence above the atonement cover or mercy seat: “O Lord Almighty, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth.” It was with this knowledge that the Israelites, led by Joshua, knew that with God’s presence they could trust that He would part the River Jordan so that thousands of people could cross the mighty river in safety.

God’s people followed the ark.

God’s people had been trained to follow and obey God. The years in the wilderness taught them the stupidity of disobeying Him. I certainly like visual aids to help me understand a concept. The beautiful ark of the covenant was a visible, tangible reminder that God was with them. In the book of Joshua the people followed the ark at a distance towards the river and then they paraded past it when the river parted. It was abundantly clear that the great miracle was thanks to God being with them. Although the ark of the covenant was surrounded by cloth, they trusted that God was very close to them and His powerful acts confirmed that.

As Christians we have so much more to fix our eyes on. We have the completed Bible: much more than the law that the Israelites had received. We know that Christ has died and risen and we can have a relationship with Him, leading into eternity. However, do we sometimes refuse to believe because we can’t see Jesus? Do we tend to rely on our own abilities because we live comfortable lives and we are not inclined to pray much? Reading these first few chapters in Joshua should help us understand to what extent the Israelites needed God, and how without Him they could never have entered the promised land successfully or victoriously. We tend to moan when life is tough but God allowed His people to experience great challenges precisely so they would follow Him.

Believe without seeing.

The picture of the ark of the Covenant and the wonderful consequences of following God in the Old Testament, when the Israelites obeyed, should spur us on to greater faith, for faith cannot be dependent on what we see. “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1). Let’s move beyond the ark of the covenant that signified God’s presence and see that Jesus is our risen Lord, God Himself who is still amongst us: “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

The ark of the covenant inspired the Israelites to believe. We are expected to believe without seeing but surely the words of the Bible should persuade us to open our spiritual eyes, relying on God’s Holy Spirit. Please join me as I fix my eyes on Jesus, trusting Him with all the stuff that gets in the way and asking Him to forgive me for the selfish words and actions that threaten to entangle me. I encourage you to trust Him to one day lead you to Heaven: a perfect land promised to those who, despite the trials, are focusing on Jesus in faith.

This is a post from: WomenRespond.com

The ark of the covenant in the Old Testament

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Recently in my blog “Joshua : a man of faith…” I challenged women to put aside fear and unbelief and to be strong and courageous like Joshua. I have often heard the comment that the safest place to be is at the center of God’s will, even if one’s life looks dangerous and out of control to outsiders. I do believe that God does protect us as we follow Him and, as our days are already numbered by Him, we do not need to be preoccupied by the fear of death.. We can do everything possible to keep safe: avoiding cars, planes and fatty food but we can still develop some terminal illness …. Faith should dictate our lives rather than fear.

Continuing my study of the book of Joshua, I became interested in Rahab, a Canaanite prostitute. She had every reason to be terrified when she encountered the Israelites, but instead she proved herself to be a woman of faith! Her faith kept her safe. Inaction would have resulted in her own death and that of her family too.

Joshua’s spies visit Rahab

Joshua sent two spies to check out the mood of the people in Jericho, the first Canaanite city that God had ordered them to attack. They arrived at Rahab’s house which was built into the city wall. The spies may have gone there as it was on the very edge of the city and escape would have been possible. It is likely that God led them there as He knew that Rahab would help them rather than betray them to her people. As a prostitute she would have been looked down on by many, and consequently her loyalties to her own people were more likely to be bitter sweet than the loyalties of most of the other residents.

I suggest that you read Joshua chapter 2 to read the whole episode and this link provides an interesting perspective:

Rahab’s profession of faith

In summary, the king of Jericho discovered the spies’ whereabouts. Rather than handing them over to the king she hid them and she explained that the men had left. Her explanation of her reasons for siding with the Israelites was not what might have been expected from a prostitute. She said to the spies,” I know that the Lord has given this land to you and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you.” She added that past victories and the dramatic way that God had dried up the Red Sea when the Israelites left Egypt were enough to make her conclude that “the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.” This was a tremendous profession of faith.

Rahab was faithful and brave, trusting in the power of God

Rahab knew that when attacked, Jericho would be destroyed by the Israelites because she trusted in the power of God to ensure victory for His people. She made sure that the Israelites would remember her and her family when they defeated her city. It was agreed that Rahab would hang out a scarlet cord to indicate where her family was so they could be rescued.

Rahab was faithful and brave. She risked being killed by her own people to save Joshua’s spies. Although the king of Jericho knew that they had visited her house she remained calm and protected them from arrest. Rahab lowered them out of the window with a rope so that they could safely return to Joshua and the Israelites to encourage them with the good news that the people of Jericho were terrified and were expecting defeat. It is significant that God can make people either brave and courageous or extremely fearful. There are a number of incidents in the Bible when the enemy panics and God’s people do not have to fight. Conversely God rewards Rahab with faith and calm at a moment of great danger.

Humility and brokenness will more likely lead to faith

In Hebrews 11, the chapter about people who demonstrated faith in the Old Testament, Rahab is the only woman mentioned. This is a great tribute to her: “By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.” (Hebrews 11: 31)

God chose Rahab to contribute significantly in His mission to defeat Jericho. We might be tempted to shun her because she was a prostitute. It is often the weak, the rejected and the poor who are more inclined to believe in Jesus (see blog post). They are less likely to believe in their own power and ability. When I was in Chicago for the weekend recently I spoke to three people about Jesus at some length. The police officer on the plane was not ready to submit control to Jesus. The successful business man was not fully convinced of the nature of sin and his need for a Savior. In contrast, the homeless woman wept when I talked about her need for Jesus. She said that she needed a personal relationship with Him and she believed and trusted Jesus with her broken life. Are we humble enough to draw near to Jesus?

Jesus: a descendant of Rahab’s

Rahab tied the scarlet cord in the window so that she and her family could be saved. She had put her faith in God and His people. Elsewhere in the Old Testament the word for cord means “hope”. It is suggestive of the ultimate hope secured for us by Jesus when He shed His blood for us. It is just as well that Rahab’s hope was in God. Apart from Rahab and her family, the other inhabitants were destroyed: the rich and famous as well as the poor. Rahab’s future was an example of faithful action being rewarded. According to Matthew chapter 1, she married a Jewish man named Salmon. Boaz was their son , who married Ruth. A couple of generations later King David was added to Rahab’s family tree and in the future Jesus became her life changing descendant!

God can change anyone. Faith is a gift that we need to receive and it requires total loyalty to Jesus. If we are loyal to Jesus we do not need to fear. The reward will be significant. Holding onto temporary allegiances in preference to following God’s will is a dangerous alternative and will lead to death. Following Jesus leads to a changed life and Jesus offers His love and forgiveness to everyone, including prostitutes and the homeless.

This is a post from: WomenRespond.com

Rahab: From Prostitute To Woman Of God

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2. The ark of the covenant in the Old Testament Why we should explore less familiar concepts in the Bible My husband, Martyn is writing...
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Faith triumphed over fear and unbelief

Joshua and Caleb were the only ones whose faith triumphed over fear and unbelief. Do we believe that God must be trusted and obeyed or do we feel that obedience is an outdated word? Are we tempted to avoid moving forward in faith because we are overcome by fear? Does it feel that God’s expectations are so unrealistic that we could not possibly change our lives to fulfill them?

The Israelites had been trained to follow God obediently

At the beginning of the book of Joshua, Moses has just died and God has appointed Joshua to succeed him and to lead God’s people into the land that God had promised them. Moses had been an incredible leader and following such a man as the leader of the Israelite people must have been daunting. The years wandering in the desert must have taught the people that really the bottom line was to have faith and to follow God. For 40 years He showed them when to stop and when to move. God sent fire at night that either stayed still or moved. Clouds by day also directed them. Rebellion against God resulted in punishment, and they knew God’s law because God had presented it to them. Like us they were slow learners but they had been trained to follow God obediently.

Joshua must have been frightened

God knew that Joshua was somewhat overwhelmed by the responsibility of leading the Israelites into Canaan. God’s first instruction to him as the new leader was to lead them across the great, deep Jordan River. We are all intimidated by different things. I try to avoid driving on busy freeways but I enjoy public speaking. Other people are the opposite, but my guess is that we would all be rather concerned about leading thousands of people across a very substantial river. With God he had no reason to fear. Similarly as we follow God obediently and faithfully we should not be fearful as He will lead us.

“I will never leave you nor forsake you”

God reassures Joshua encouraging him that he would be given “every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses.” God also reminds Joshua of His constant presence: “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.” It is thanks to God’s constant presence and help that Joshua can obey the next exhortation: “Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you: do not turn from it to the right or the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.” (Joshua 1: 5-7)

A successful godly leader must be submitted to God and to His word

Joshua was instructed to obey the law and not to depart from it. He could not expect God’s presence if he was not prepared to abide by His rules and to expect the Israelites to be obedient to God’s law too. God expected Joshua to be His servant. The law gave specific direction and Joshua had to follow this. A successful, godly leader must be submitted to God and to His word: to obey it rather than merely knowing it.

Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened

God’s final words to Joshua, before he gave the order to the officers, was a third instruction to be strong and courageous: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” The main threat to Joshua’s success as a leader was to pull back in fear. God’s words instilled in Joshua the faith and the courage that were essential. Crossing the river before defeating the people living in Canaan would have been impossible without God’s direction and help.

The miracle in Joshua chapter 3 proves that God was in control. The great river was parted by the one who created rivers: God, and Joshua led all the people into the promised land.

The Bible gives us hope

Today some might claim that this powerful example of God leading Joshua and his people was merely an ancient story. The same people are unlikely to have faith that God is their Savior and that He still leads His people. Romans 15:4 explains that “everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”

I do hope that you have genuine hope in Jesus. As a child I had ill informed hope, assuming that I could waltz into heaven, because I assumed that that was where everyone deserved to go. God’s relationship with the people of Israel illustrates that their lack of faith restricted them from entering the promised land. God made them wander in the wilderness until the first generation of unbelieving moaners died. Only their children could enter, along with faithful Joshua and Caleb. Similarly, we have no right to hope unless we submit to Jesus in faith, but if our faith is genuine we have much to look forward to.

Walk as Jesus did

Faith must lead to obedience. Yesterday, I taught the kids in my Sunday school class from 1 John 2 verses 4-5. We were discussing receiving God’s love: “The man who says “I know Him” (Jesus) but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in Him. This is how we know we are in Him: Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did.”

Joshua, was commanded by God to obey God’s law, to be encouraged by His presence, and to be strong and courageous as He followed God’s instructions. The same is true for us today. If we are prepared to faithfully read the Bible and follow Jesus, He will give us courage, and the Holy Spirit will empower us to do incredible acts as servants of Jesus. We can and must walk as Jesus did. If we avoid God’s truth in the Bible and have a half hearted faith and no action, we cannot claim to be God’s children.

Women of faith and courage

Let’s learn from Joshua and be women of faith and courage. God is always ready to forgive us and change us. We can be turned around if we are ready to move forward in faith, obeying the word of God and seeking His presence. Jesus wants to encourage us to be strong and courageous for when we move forward with Jesus He will be with us and He will never leave us.

This is a post from: WomenRespond.com

Joshua: A Man Of Faith Encourages Us To Be Women Of Faith

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